Burial vault



Nov. 3, 1936. P. c. FRIEDEL ET AL 2,059,941

BURIAL VAULT Filed May 1, 1934 ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 3, 1936 PATENT OFFICE BURIAL VAULT Peter C. Friedel and Herman J. Kobe, Bryan, Ohio Application May 1, 1934, Serial No. 723,404

1 Claim.

This invention relates to burial vaults and has for the primary object the provision of a device of the above stated character which will exclude moisture, water and air to the interior thereof and when once assembled and sealed with a casket therein, the latter cannot be removed and thus eliminate theft of the casket or the remains therein and will materially lengthen the life of the casket.

With these and other objects in view this invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of our invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating a burial vault constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view showing the sections of the vault separated and positioned for assembling.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the numeral l indicates a vault constructed of any material suitable for the purpose and preferably of metal and includes inner and outer sections 2 and 3. The outer section comprises side and end walls integrally connected with a top or cover, as shown in Figure 2. Integral with the side and end walls is an inwardly extending flange 4. The inner box section comprises a bottom wall 5 integral with the side and end walls and also integral with the bottom is a channeled flange 6 to receive the flange 4 and portions of the side and end walls of the outer section when the inner and outer sections are assembled. Spring catches I are carried by the outer walls of the inner section. The catches have their body portions arranged at an outward and downward angle from the box section 2 and have their ends received in the channeled flange 6, bent inwardly and extended through openings in the inner wall of the flange 6 below the bottom 5 of the box 2. The ends of the lower angle portions of the catches have ball heads which contact with the outer face of the bottom 5. The angle spring catches normally have their lower and outer corners contact with the outer wall of the channeled flange or base member 6. The spring catches readily permit the outer section to be passed over the inner section and brought to rest within the flange 6. The spring catches also serve as guides for the outer section, holding the same properly spaced from the inner section, when lowered thereover. When in the latter-named position, the spring catches overlie the flange 4, thereby effectively locking the sections 2 and 3 together. Prior to assembling the sections 2 and 3 the channeled flange 6 may have placed therein a suitable sealing substance so that when the flange 4 is brought to rest within the channeled flange the sealing substance will effectively seal the sections 2 and. 3 together and also prevent manual movement of the spring catches, thereby preventing opening of the vault and also excluding to the interior of the vault air, moisture and water. The sections when assembled are as shown in Figure 2 with the side and end walls of the inner section extending well into the cover or top of the outer section and spaced from the side .and end walls of the outer section to form a dead air space. Handles 8 are provided to the outer section whereby the vault can be easily carried while containing the casket or whereby the sections 3 may be easily carried when separated from the section 2. The section 2 is equipped with handles 9,to facilitate the handling thereof prior to its assembling of the sections 3. Suitable rests ID are located on the bottom wall 5 for supporting a casket within the inner section 2.

Having described the invention, we claim:

A grave vault comprising a box-like member, which is designed to be telescopically enclosed by a cover that has an inwardly flanged edge, said member having a bottom which is slightly elevated above its lower edge, and which has its walls provided with a plurality of spaced openings arranged in a line with the outer face of said bottom, a continuous outstanding flat plate extension on said member slightly below said openings, and an upstanding flange on the outer edge of said extension, and angle springs on the exterior of said member having their ends exerting a pressure toward the continuous flange, and their said ends formed with later oifset laterally extending portions which pass through the openings in the body and which have headed ends that contact with the bottom of said body.

, PETER C. FRIEDEL.

HERMAN J. KOBE. 

